Mute for stringed musical instruments



Aug. 9, 1932. M. SARRABLO Y CLAVERO 1,870,324

MUTE FOR STRINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Jan. 31. 1929 Patented Aug. 9, 1932 UNITED STATES MANUEL SARRAIBLO Y CLAVERO, F PARIS, FRANCE MUTE FOR STBINGED MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS' Application filed January 31, 1929, Serial No. 336,508, and. in Trance Januar 12, 1928.

The present invention relates to improvements in mutes for musical instruments with strings and sticks (for violin, tenor-violin, Violoncello, counter-bass and so on), permit ting to obtain an adjustable mute capable to accord more or less the proper sonority of the instrument.

The ordinary mutes found in commerce are either too light or too heavy and it is inlc dispensable to utilize several mutes of different weight in order to obtain a whole scale of sounds, from piano up to pianissimo.

The principle of the present mute, called the chromatic is to provide a mute, either light or heavy, at will, instantly or gradually,

either by abrupt transition or by simple displacement of weights mounted upon the extremities of the mute, or upon levers displaceable through pivoting, or even upon sliding pistons and so on; by removal of the outer weights more or less from the central sup porting point of the mute upon the bridge, the conditions of equilibrium and the inertia of the mute are modified.

Owing to the fact, that the greater part of the weight is displaced to the extremities of the mute, the rolling of strings is dispensed with, this rolling constituting a drawback pertaining to all kinds of mutes known until now.

By the displacementpf the weights, the position of the cent-er of gravity of the mute is modified, for upon placing this center of gravity more or less high, even below that of the bridge of the instrument, the tone of the latter is without question acted upon and is rendered more or less velvety while suppressing certain vibrations and increasing others.

The novel mute can of course be made of any appropriate material, such as wood, ebonite, horn, galalite, shells, metal and so on, and the displacement of the weights, modifying the conditions of equilibrium and Cir of the inertia of the mute can be effected in different ways.

The mute according to the present invention applies itself to all string-instruments, independently of the means serving to produce their vibration, and suits more particularly the "mediators-instruments, such as mand'olins, banjos,'and so on,'as easily,. as the instruments acted-upon by bows.

The mute presents preferably, for the purpose specified, a series of small projections, studs or the like, placed opposite to each 55. other between'the legs of the mute forming pincers, or the like. i

When the mute is sufficiently pushed ove the bridge, the studs will lodge themselves into recesses provided in the bridge, and the 00 mute will be kept firmly upon the same notwithstanding thestrong shocks sustained by the strings and the intense vibrations emitted by'the box of the instrument and occasioning jumping of all mutes employed hitherto; The invention will be'better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing showing: 1 w

In Fig.1 an elevation of a mute for banjo, mandolin and banjo tenor constructed. in ac cordance with this invention.

. In Fig. Qthis mute in a side view, in larger scale, and

In Fig. 8 a mute for a banjo with six strings. 75..-

The mute S may be of any kind, with teeth D cut out and hollowed (Fig. 1) or the like, made so as to secure the best sonority. The mute can be of course applied to all kinds of instruments, such as violins, violoncellos, tenor-violins, counter-basses and so on.

Two additional weights P- are mounted upon the lateral extremities A of the mute and can be unfolded or removed from'the central line of'the bridge 0. Y r I For this purpose, the weights P can be arranged at the extremities of arms B mounted hinge-like and displaceable angularly.

In the position of foldinginto the position shown in Fig. 1a light mute will be obtained (piano). 7

The mute S for banjos and the like is constituted by two jaw or side members F (Figs. 1 and 2) out out and presenting teeth D destined to be inserted between the strings and at both sides of the bridge. 7

Additional movable weights P are mounted upon the extremities of the mute, as described above. 1

Between the members F distant from each other by means of a cross-piece, are placed at the extremities of teeth D forming pincers, metal studs V pointed or slightly rounded off and destined to engage into recesses E provided. in the bridge C. The pincers formed by the teeth D are hence closed Within a recess and the mute cannot be withdrawn from the bridge unless a certain effort is exerted toward this purpose; neither the intense vibrations of the banjo-hide or of the sounding board of the mandoli-ns, or the shocks imparted energetically to the strings of the said instruments will cause jumping of the mute clinging in the manner described to the bridge. 7

It will be hence possible to obtain mellow and sweet tunes impossible hitherto to obtain from instruments with strings and mediatorinstruments with ordinary mutesv insuffi ciently fixed upon their bridges.

The mute modified in said manner can of course receive all forms and dimensions needed by thedifferent instruments with strings of the type of mandolins,'banjos, guitars and so on. The number of teeth depends on the width of the bridge and, in case of emergency, on the number of the strings of the instrument; the mute S (Fig. 3) for a banjo with six strings, for example, can be provided With six teeth D, four of them only being equipped with fastening studs.

Mutes with movable weights for banjos and mandolins as described above can equally be modified in most different ways in order to permit their jaws or side members to-grip bridges of every thickness.

What I claim is:

A. mute for use in mandolins, banjos,

guitars and the like, comprising two cheeks cutout in form of teeth in the lower part and connected in the upper part so that said teeth form pinoers, said teeth having on their inner' faces metallic studs which normally rest in touch with one another as the two studs are oppositely situated in such a manner that by placing the mute upon th'e bridge "the studs engage the perforations in the bridge so that the pincers formed by the oppositely disposed teeth close again, so that the mute is securely attached to the bridge and prevented from being casually dislodged by vibrations of the sounding board of the instrument.

In witness whereof I aifix my signature.

MANUEL SARRABLO Y CLAVERO. 

